Summary On 06 November 1998, while returning in heavy weather from the Grand Banks, the ATLANTIC PRIZE, an 18.7 metre fishing vessel, listed suddenly to starboard, down-flooded and sank by the stern. The crew donned survival suits and abandoned ship into the water. A search and rescue operation involving aircraft and vessels located and rescued the entire crew 6 hours after the sinking. Ce rapport est galement disponible en franais. Other Factual Information The ATLANTIC PRIZE departed St. John's, Newfoundland, on November 3 at 1600 Newfoundland standard time (NST)[2] and arrived on the Southern Grand Banks 30 hours later. After fishing for 24 hours, the vessel had caught approximately 45 000 kg of redfish and prepared to return to port. The main fish hold hatch and loose gear on deck was secured and the vessel got under way for St. John's on November 5 at 2330. The mate and engineer took the first watch and the remainder of the crew turned in. At approximately 0155, the mate noted that the vessel was becoming sluggish in returning upright after rolls to starboard. After approximately one minute, the vessel developed a permanent list to starboard with her afterdeck partially submerged. The engineer went immediately to the engine-room to start the bilge pumps and the master and crew were called to the wheel-house. Upon arriving in the wheel-house and assessing the situation, the master immediately broadcast a MAYDAY on 2 182 kHz using the single sideband radio. The distress call was picked up and acknowledged by St. John's Coast Guard Radio. As the engineer left the engine-room and proceeded to the wheel-house, he noted water coming down the engine-room vents, leaking through the watertight door from the main deck and flooding through an open window on the after bulkhead of the galley. Immediately upon coming on deck, the crew donned survival suits and launched the 10-person liferaft; however, it was carried away by the wind and fouled on the port topsides and rigging. The vessel carried sufficient survival suits in the wheel-house for her entire complement. However, when the crew donned them, it was found that the bulky gloves attached to the suits made it difficult to pick up the liferaft using the handholds moulded into the casing. The master continued standing by the single side band radio until water entered the wheel-house. He and the crew then abandoned ship into the water. The vessel was seen to sink by the stern in position lat. 4400' N, long. 05231' W, within approximately 10 minutes of the crew abandoning ship. In the water, the crew found themselves separated into two groups. The master and two deck-hands found and boarded an aluminum skiff which had broken free when the vessel sank. Although they had to bail constantly, they remained relatively warm until rescued at 0730. The second group of crew, consisting of the mate, the engineer and a deck-hand, remained in the water where they placed their backs to the wind/sea and linked arms to stay together. When rescued at 0830, this group was suffering from mild hypothermia. The vessel's MAYDAY call was heard by St. John's Coast Guard Radio, who immediately began a mayday relay. It was determined that the fishing vessel ATLANTIC DOROTHY was the vessel closest to the ATLANTIC PRIZE. The ATLANTIC DOROTHY steamed towards the reported mayday position, and located and rescued the survivors. The survivors reported that they could hear and see an aircraft circling overhead, and that this presence greatly increased their morale. Both the emergency position indicating radio beacon (EPIRB) and the lost liferaft were equipped with lights which were visible to both the crew in the water and Search and Rescue (SAR) aircraft. The vessel carried a new 406 MHz EPIRB, which floated free and activated when the vessel sank. Its signal was picked up by a geostationary COSPAS SARSAT satellite at 0212 and the vessel identified by the SARSAT Canadian Mission Control Centre in Trenton, Ontario. A call to the vessel's owner provided the general area the vessel was fishing in; however, because the EPIRB was not global positioning system (GPS) equipped, an accurate position of the EPIRB was not determined until 0338, at which time a second satellite was able to obtain a doppler fix. Two Canadian and one American SAR aircraft were tasked by Rescue Coordination Centre Halifax, as were the Her Majesty's Canadian Ship (HMCS) CHARLOTTETOWN and the Canadian Coast Guard Ship (CCGS) SIR WILFRED GRENFELL. The ATLANTIC PRIZE was of conventional hard chine steel construction. From forward, the hull was comprised of a forepeak, potable water tanks, engine-room, fish hold, cofferdams, fuel tanks, and steering flat. Crew accommodations were forward on the main deck and the steel wheel-house one deck above. A single watertight door led from the accommodations onto the main deck aft, to starboard of which was an opening galley window. The vessel was one of a series of successful 65-foot small fishing vessels, the first of which was built in 1981. Although similar in basic design, various modifications in the arrangements of deck equipment, spars and layout have been incorporated by individual owners. The ATLANTIC PRIZE was constructed with an after shelter-deck and A frame. The main fish hatch and lazarette hatch comprised the only main deck hatches. At the time of the occurrence, the vessel's fish hold held approximately 45 000 kg of redfish in 15 pens with boards mounted 2 m high. The vessel's forward fuel tanks were half full and were common to each other. The after fuel tanks were full. The fish hold hatch cover was divided in half and hinged down the centre. Four dogs were used to secure the hatch and were reported to have been secured before the vessel began her return voyage towards St. John's. A small manhole was located on the starboard side of the hatch cover and was secured with a single dog. It is reported that the hinge along the centre of the main fish hatch was not watertight. Round flush-deck hatches were fitted outboard of the main hatch on both sides; however, they had been welded closed. A hatch leading to the lazarette and steering gear located on the centre line, aft near the transom, was reported to be closed. The vessel was equipped with bilge high-water level alarms for the engine-room, fish hold/shaft tunnel, and lazarette. However, prior to the vessel listing, no alarm was heard by the crew at the time of the occurrence. Roll-dampening paravanes were fitted to the ATLANTIC PRIZEon port and starboard outriggers attached to the bulwarks. The paravanes were in use at the time of the occurrence. It is reported that, at the time of abandonment, the port (windward) paravane towing wire was slack, with no paravane visible at its end, and the (windward) outrigger pole had been flipped into the stowed position by the vessel's movement. The Small Fishing Vessel Regulations do not provide requirements for the safe design, installation and operation of roll-dampening paravanes. The TSB, in its investigation into the capsizing and sinking of the small fishing vessel STRAITS PRIDE II,[3] determined that the loss of a paravane stabilizer contributed to the capsizing, and recommended that: The Department of Transport sponsor research on the dynamics and limitations of paravane stabilizers on fishing vessels with a view to developing adequate guidelines for fishermen on their design, performance and installation. Again, as a result of a similar occurrence in 1994 involving the longliner/dragger ARCTIC PRIDE,[4] TSB Marine Safety Information letter No. 08/94 was forwarded to Transport Canada (TC) highlighting the need for research and development on the safe utilization of paravane stabilizers. In response, TC made provisions to include the subject in Marine Safety's research and development program, but the results from Transport Canada Marine Safety (TCMS) research are still pending. In 1995, TC prepared an internal report on roll paravanes. In the interim, several other serious accidents have occurred involving paravane stabilizers on small fishing vessels.[5] At the time of the occurrence, winds were from the northwest, gusting between 20 and 25 knots. Seas were 5 m. The air temperature was approximately 10C and satellite imagery of the sea surface temperature, taken 1 hours after the sinking, indicates that the sea temperature was approximately 14C. This relatively warm water temperature resulted from the movement of warm water from the edge of the Gulf Stream onto the Grand Banks, from the south. The vessel was inspected and certified in accordance with the Small Fishing Vessel Inspection Regulations. The vessel had undergone her quadrennial inspection by TCMS in December 1997 with no defects noted. The vessel was certified for Home Trade I voyages of not more than 200 miles off shore, and as the owner did not intend to fish for capelin or herring, no stability data had been submitted to TCMS for approval. In some circumstances, redfish may exhibit the stowage characteristics of herring and capelin. Small redfish, loaded in the round (whole) and mixed with melting ice will easily shift if not adequately penned. The vessel's certificate required personnel holding a Fishing Master II and Fishing Master III certificates to be on board. At the time of the occurrence, the master held a Fishing Vessel III licence, and had undergone Marine Emergency Duties (level A1, B1, and B2) training. The other crew members held no formal marine qualifications. The crew of the ATLANTIC PRIZE had been working together for several years before the occurrence and had practised donning survival suits regularly. These practice sessions had included going over the side into the water while the vessel was at sea. As a result of this ongoing practice, the zippers on several of the suits were worn and one inflation tube did not function.